GOP Donors, Leaders Reportedly See Contested Convention as Only Hope to Stop Trump

image
Author: Ben Swann
Created: 08 Mar, 2016
Updated: 16 Oct, 2022
2 min read

Current primary results have reportedly led GOP leaders to consider a contested convention if Donald Trump falls short of the 1,237 delegates needed to qualify for the nomination.

According to a report from the Washington Post, recent gatherings of the Republican Governors Association and various conservative financiers have led to the “consensus that Trump is vulnerable and that a continued blitz of attacks could puncture the billionaire mogul’s support and leave him limping onto the convention floor.”

A contested convention occurs when no single candidate has secured a majority of the delegates ahead of the party convention” which is in July, and as a result, the party’s nominee is “chosen by the delegates who come to the convention, on a series of one or more ballots.”

Out of the 2,472 available delegates in the GOP, Donald Trump currently has 384, Ted Cruz has 300, Marco Rubio has 151, and John Kasich has 37. Primaries will be held in Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan and Mississippi on Tuesday, which will determine the direction of 150 of the remaining 1,585 delegates.

The Post’s report noted that the strategy of pushing for a contested convention is “risky and hinges on Trump losing Florida, Illinois and Ohio on March 15,” which has led some party figures to believe that “any stop-Trump efforts could prove futile.”

According to the report, the movement to stop Trump is led by the super PAC Our Principles PAC, which has devoted “more than $3 million in television advertisements, plus direct-mail pieces, digital ads, phone banking and emails — all designed to sow doubts about Trump’s character, convictions and fitness for office,” just in the state of Florida.

As previously reported, GOP officials were discussing the possibility of a contested convention in December, when more than 20 members of the Republican National Committee attended a dinner held by Chairman Reince Priebus.

Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, 2012 GOP Nominee Mitt Romney said he does not plan on running, but that if the GOP were to reach a contested convention, he wouldn’t rule out becoming the party’s nominee if he received the support.

“I don’t think anyone in our party should say, ‘Oh no, even if the people of the party wanted me to be president, I would say no to it.’ No one is going to say that,” Romney said. “But I can tell you this, I’m not a candidate, I’m not going to be a candidate, I’m going to be endorsing one of the people who’s running for president.”

IVP Donate

During a phone interview on Fox’s “Fox and Friends” on Tuesday morning, Trump said he is bothered by the possibility of a contested convention, and he thinks, “It’s really not fair.”

Editor's note: This article, written by Rachel Blevins, originally published on Truth in Media on March 8, 2016.

Photo Credit: Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock.com

Latest articles

Clear ballot box with ballot inside.
Skokie Is the Latest Illinois City to Embrace Ranked Choice Voting
Skokie voters went to the polls on April 1 amidst a closely watched mayoral election to decide whether or not to adopt ranked choice voting (RCV). With 100% of precincts reporting, 58% of participating voters said ‘Yes’ to changing how the city conducts elections. ...
02 Apr, 2025
-
2 min read
Overhead shot of cargo at a port.
What Will Trump's 'Liberation Day' Mean for US Job Growth?
April 2 marks President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day,’ which could usher in the most aggressive tariffs in modern US history or be completely blown out of proportion....
01 Apr, 2025
-
5 min read
Cory Booker
Cory Booker Just Delivered the Longest Senate Speech in US History
Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey made history with a marathon speech on the Senate floor, surpassing 24 hours in a sweeping protest against the policies of former President Donald Trump....
01 Apr, 2025
-
2 min read